It Turns Out That There Were Thousands Of Indonesian Citizens From Abroad Who Were Positive For COVID-19 After Being Tested

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JAKARTA - Spokesperson for the Task Force in Handling COVID-19, Wiku Adisasmito said that there were 1.060 people who were positively infected with COVID-19 after returning from abroad.

They, both citizens of Indonesia (WNI) or special foreigners did have a negative COVID-19 test result from their original location before arriving in Indonesia. However, they were confirmed after being in Indonesia.

"From December 28, 2020, to February 16, 2021, there were 1.060 travelers from abroad who tested positive for COVID-19", Wiku said in the Presidential Secretariat Youtube broadcast, Thursday, February 18.

Wiku said, as many as 738 people were detected while undergoing a repeat swab test when they arrived at Soekarno Hatta Airport. Then, the remaining 322 people previously had negative results. However, after undergoing five days of isolation, they tested positive.

In accordance with the current Restrictions on Community Activity (PPKM) provisions, every traveler from abroad must undergo another COVID-19 test when they arrive at the airport.

After that, they were taken to a centralized isolation area for 5 days. Then, they were tested again to confirm negative results before continuing their journey.

"These are people who have previously been tested negative, the first time they arrived, turned out to be positive later. They will pass if we didn't do the test. Because we do the test, they are caught and if they are symptomatic they have to be hospitalized", explained Wiku.

Then, where are they exposed to the virus? Wiku said that they could have been exposed before leaving their home country. However, when tested before traveling, the virus had not been detected because it was still in the incubation period.

"Why was it tested negative 3x24 hours before departure time and it is positive when they arrived here? It is because of the incubation period", he said.

Then, there is also the possibility of transmission while on the plane. Usually, they are detected positive after undergoing quarantine for 5 days.

"If the infection is positive, it will be caught on the fifth day of the quarantine period. So by means of this screening, it will ensure that if it is negative, it is negative", he concluded.